This section contains information about and links to publications by Andrew Campbell.
For further information contact Andrew Campbell on andrew@triplehelix.com.au
The Victorian Bushfires and the on-going debate
In the immediate aftermath of the Victorian bushfires of 7 February 2009, I was asked by a friend in America for my thoughts on the fires, and in particular a response to a blog by Rob Darrock called "Will the Real Arsonists Please Stand Up", the central point of which was that environmentalists generally, and green groups' ostensible opposition to broadscale fuel reduction burning in particular, were the real culprits responsible for the tragic loss of life and property in Victoria.
Disturbed by these arguments, I dashed off a long email, which my friend urged me to publish. A tidied up version of it on this website elicited a strong response, mostly positive, from hundreds of people. Some useful points were subsequently incorporated into revised drafts of what became a 5,000 word essay. I was asked to present a seminar at the Australian National University, which took place on 24 March. Here is my presentation. You can view a video of it here (scroll down to 24 March, and then within that lot, move the slider down about half way to find it).
As my essay received wider circulation, it began to draw adverse comment from people opposed to my position — or what they had been told was my position. The most comprehensive critique was that of Roger Underwood, Chairman of The Bushfire Front Inc. His paper is here, prefaced by a widely-circulated email. Because of its inaccuracies and misrepresentations (leaving aside gratuitous derogatory remarks) I felt the need to correct the record here.
Without purporting to be comprehensive or absolutely current, the resources listed below offer a range of useful information, perspectives, tools and discussions.
Bushfire information resources
People
Professor and Head of Forestry at the ANU: a succinct primer on hazard reduction burning.
Professor of Meteorology at the University of Melbourne: an analysis of the extent to which the weather on 7 February could be attributed to climate change.
Professor and Head of Forestry at the University of Melbourne: a discussion of the need for better bushfire governance at the national level.
Professor and Director of the Centre for Environmental Risk Management of Bushfires at the University of Wollongong: an OpEd piece in The Sydney Morning Herald discussing the extent to which fuel reduction burning can reduce bushfire risk under different fire danger levels.
Professor of History in the Research School of Social Sciences at the Australian National University: an article in Inside Story discussing our apparent inability to learn from history.
Lecturer in Forestry and Agroforestry at the University of Melbourne: OpEd in The Age discussing the widespread lack of community understanding about the Fire Danger Index.
Forest Ecologist and former lecturer at the Victorian School of Forestry, Creswick: a fascinating historical exploration of the extent of Aboriginal burning in Victorian forests prior to European settlement.
Frank Campbell (no relation)
Former Australian editor of Wildfire magazine: a very interesting perspective in crikey.com.au on how the Royal Commission is being conducted.
Organisations and reports
Bushfires Cooperative Research Centre (CRC)
A report by CSIRO and the Bushfire CRC exploring the likely increase in bushfire risk due to climate change.
Ian Pullar's site has a comprehensive discussion of fire refuge bunkers and detailed design information.
Report of a 2007 workshop run by the Earthwatch Institute and the Victorian Association of Forest Industries to explore lessons learned about fire management in Victoria.
Institute of Foresters of Australia (IFA)
On-line discussions
A fascinating exchange on the drivers of the size and intensity of the Victorian fires, and their implications, by generally well-informed respondents.
Jennifer Marohasy/Roger Underwood
An article by Roger Underwood presenting the anti-green, pro-fuel reduction burning thesis, followed by 117 comments representing a wide range of opinions (and levels of understanding).